Blog: Is Cristiano Ronaldo already breaking under the pressure?

Real Madrid winger Cristiano Ronaldo played in the Santiago Bernabeu Trophy on Monday night and some fans and newspapers such as AS and Mundo Deportivo began to criticize the quiet match played by the Portuguese star. Jorge Valdano released a statement saying that he and the fans of Madrid were, “hoping for more from Cristiano and the other stars that they had signed during the summer transfer window.” The “others” include stars Kaká (from AC Milan) , Benzema (Olympique Lyonnais) and Xabi Alonso (Liverpool).

The comment was made after Real Madrid easily disposed of Rosenborg 4 – 0 with two goals from Karim Benzema, a classy goal by Lassana Diarra, and one from Madrid icon Raul. All of the Spanish and European news outlets confirmed the solid play of the whole team except that of C. Ronaldo, claiming he was doing too much to try impress the crowd and not enough to develop the fluid play that Real Madrid wish to become known for this season as they set their sights on La Liga and Champions League titles.

With C. Ronaldo being criticized after a preseason game and questioned for perhaps starting to buckle under the intense media and fan pressure that has been put on him after his record transfer I wonder whether it was just a matter that has developed due to his move to Madrid or if it is just echos from the past few months which have included his Ferrari crash and attack on a paparazzo . Perhaps these were signs along with a final season with Manchester United in which his play was not always to the standard that we had become accustomed to seeing from the Portuguese that he was starting to falter in the limelight of being the “best footballer”. Personally, I believe the reason for his recent troubles and the press release last night is due to the media pressure which C. Ronaldo applied to himself by always attempting to show more skill than necessary, diving in matches more times than Olympic divers at the meet, and by declaring himself the best of all time by saying the price paid by Real Madrid for his transfer was justified by his talent.

All I can say as La Liga is about to begin is that Lionel Messi, who has played just as well if not better than C. Ronaldo has never attempted to put the limelight on himself and this is why nobody criticizes his play…. perhaps C. Ronaldo wishes he wouldn’t have made all of those comments now.

C. Ronaldo at Real Madrid:

Links:
Press release by Jorge Valdano
The Guardian article about C. Ronaldo crashing his Ferrari
The Guardian article about C. Ronaldo and paparazzo